


From Dusk to Dawn and Everything in Between

by ElysianWayfarer



Series: Altercations AU [1]
Category: A million other fandoms I can’t name, Classicaloid (Anime), Nevermoor Series - Jessica Townsend
Genre: AU, F/M, I Will Go Down With This Ship, M/M, Multi, fight me, idk where im going with this help, lots and lots of rewrite, poly stuff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-01
Updated: 2020-12-01
Packaged: 2021-03-09 20:07:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,141
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27821995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElysianWayfarer/pseuds/ElysianWayfarer
Summary: (Part 1- PreCanon)“Ah, Fate is as merciful a Mistress as she is Cruel...”What if things happened differently? Here’s a collection of stories of simpler times pulled from the lively Nevermoor and the things that’ll change it for forever...
Relationships: Jupiter/Israfel/Ezra/Johanna, Lots of fluffy family relationships
Series: Altercations AU [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2035957
Kudos: 3





	1. To Love and to Fall

**Author's Note:**

> “It’s better to love and lose than it is to have never loved at all.”

Celestial Beings… are a lot of things. Heavenly looking is definitely one. So’s being rather distant compared to other living creatures. Celestial Circles exist, yes, but the general rule is that you don’t get attached. Don’t get attached to humans, especially, or you fall. Such an act is considered taboo, especially amongst the older, more traditional beings. Israfel had been like that before, and for so long it didn’t exactly matter if he did or not. Then he attends a party and that simple event triggers a life changing domino effect that he doubts he’d ever be able to make up even if he tried. 

He doesn’t really recall why he bothered attending it (with how Celestial beings feed on the emotions of others, Humanity isn’t always a healthy source, so to speak). Eventually, he found the chatter and the music a bit too annoying for his liking and ended up outside for at least some fresh air. And then someone fell into the fountain. (He wished he was making that part up sometimes with how ridiculous it sounded)

“Well, that was unexpected!” A bright voice reached his ears. Israfel doesn’t respond though, watching the soaking wet individual get up with a lighthearted laugh,”Though this  _ will _ be a bother to dry. Shame, this was my favorite suit…”. 

“...” 

“Hm? Oh!” His eyes finally lock onto the Angel’s bewildered ones,”My apologies if I spooked you! Are you alright?” 

Suffice to say, his first encounter with Jupiter North was… memorable. While he was aware of the name and his reputation for being an explorer as well as his knack, meeting him, face to face? Wasn’t something he’d expect, much less after watching him get soaked. Charismatic man, he’ll give him that, and he  _ did  _ get a laugh out of him for the fountain incident. 

Don’t get attached, they’d say, if you know what’s good for you. Israfel tried to keep it that way, but somewhere in the night he finds himself agreeing to another meeting with this persistent ginger (if not for the wet clothes, his hair would’ve been the first thing he’d note. Could human hair really be that bright?). One meeting turned to another, and another, and yet another, and  _ then  _ Israfel realized that he was, in layman’s terms, absolutely and utterly fucked. He doesn’t speak on it though, doesn’t bother on speaking his newly realized ‘attachment’ to him (not that he needs to, he’s pretty sure Jupiter could see it from a mile away). What would it matter in the end anyways? 

Until he visits the hotel one cool evening. He had intended for a friendly visit (and it has been a while since their last meeting) when he finds the man he’s been looking for and someone else. Tall, rather serious looking, if not rather ruffled. They’re worried, scared? Israfel didn’t like those feelings, but he chose to walk forward anyways, clearing his throat to bring their attention. 

“Ah!” Jupiter practically jumps as he turns, the other man merely tensing up,”Izzy! I didn’t see you there!”

“Is… everything alright?” That was a stupid question, he chastises. The answer was clearly ‘no’. 

“I… er, yes! Right as rain!” Israfel isn’t convinced (Jupiter’s usually a better actor than that, but then again, he did look rather exhausted…), and is about to ask again when his eyes finally land on the swaddle of cloth in his arms. Pink face, small sniffles and coos, there's no mistaking that.

“A child.” He breathes,”What’s going on? Why does it involve a child?” He didn’t like what was going on. Jupiter’s companion sighs, before finally speaking.

“Captain North and I are merely discussing something important. While you weren’t supposed to walk in when you did, there’s not really much choice now…” 

Israfel isn’t sure whether to believe it when he’s told. This little human, harmless as can be, a  _ wundersmith _ ? He’s heard the stories, of course he has, men and women with the ability to make the impossible possible, do what most cannot. It's all insane, and this is coming from a goddamn Celestial being of all beings. Just… what the hell did he get himself into?

And thus, the Angel becomes involved in raising little miss Morrigan Crow. (Jupiter insists on calling her Mog or Moggers, though) Human babies were strangely cute at their best, and outright irritating at their worst. Israfel would be the first to say he has little to no experience in regards to raising children (his kind does have children, but raising them has been… detached.), though in the end he slowly and carefully learns to adapt to his newfound situation. Jupiter seems to be on a similar boat alongside him, and Ezra (the man who apparently was the one who whisked Morrigan away that night, he still doesn’t really trust him) is fairing alright himself. 

Eventually, he’s just about comfortable with it all, then one little Wundersmith turns into two. 

—

Israfel got to hear a small sypnosis on the situation, despite the actual conversation happening on the otherside of the doorway. 

Gateways, Realms, a second wundersmith… at this point he may as well have been used to it, since his shock seems to have dampened at it all. Though the most damning piece of the puzzle is pretty clear: Jupiter North has a son. That son is a Wundersmith. 

A small voice coos from his left. He turns his attention from Ezra (who seems to be a little busy entertaining both Morrigan and two other children, must be the woman’s other kin) to the boy in the carrier (her world was different from their own, this seems to be a device used to carry small children around). 

His eyes scan him, from the tuff of bright copper on his head to the bright blue eyes and the sprinkle of freckles across his skin. The boy looked up at him, blinking for a second before his face breaks out into a smile, reaching up to him. Israfel has to chuckle.

“You really are Jupiter’s son, aren’t you?” He reaches over, lifting up the giggling child from its carrier, “A splitting image, dare I say.” The boy’s laughter increased. He was no older than Morrigan, Israfel thought, same birthday as well (that part felt like a mere coincidence, or else this whole Wundersmith thing wouldn’t even be possible). 

He plays with him for a little longer until the doors open. He finds himself not minding too much that both him, his siblings and his mother would be coming around more often. 

—

Days turn to months and months to years. Raising four children is far from an easy feat (even with four adults present), but rewarding nonetheless. That previous rule of ‘don’t get attached’ becomes more and more like a whisper in his head than anything. Sure, logic dictated, but his heart was yearning for something else. Something  _ more _ . 

In retrospect, he probably should’ve anticipated his growing feelings for all three of his companions sooner. 

Divines above, what had he gotten himself into? When did he find his heart fluttering at Jupiter’s laugh and sunny disposition? When did he start actively seeking Johanna’s gentle warmth and kindness? When did any distrust he had for Ezra prior break away and be replaced with a surprising fondness? 

When did he start to  _ fall _ ? 

  
  
  
  



	2. Lesson Never Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m hopeless, right?”

Johanna would think that after one heartbreak, she would learn not to be such a hopeless romantic. Your heart on your sleeve was only going to lead you to more trouble and hurt. Alas, she had a small penchant for ignoring such things. 

She knew that, at the very least, Jean had never meant to leave. She knew him well, the dramatic yet steadfast author who would’ve stayed had fate been kinder. Johanna can still remember what she had with him: snarky conversations, him trying to sweep her off her feet but ultimately getting flustered himself, times where he’d have to drag her over to bed after staying up late to grade papers… it’s hard to forget, not to mention she could still smell his signature scent around the house if she concentrates. (The scent of a red wine reduction has become a source of melancholy now.) 

_Okay,_ she had thought after crying her tears, _I’ll be careful now. I won’t be so easily swayed anymore. I have children to raise, after all, and they don’t need to see their mother moping around the dang house._

And… well, for a while, she had been doing well enough, between working and raising both Adrian and Marie. Then a year later, while out for lunch, she met a man with a bright copper mane and twinkling blue eyes and it all went downhill (or uphill?) from there. Jupiter North reminded her a lot of Jean (was that why she had that attraction to him?). He was loud and bright, yet steadfast and caring. Charming and dramatic in all the best ways. Those times had felt like an adventure, or at least that passionate spark of youth he always managed to give her. The kind where you’d dance around the room before collapsing on the floor giggling like children. A part of her had warned her not to get your hopes up, it really did. Perhaps she should’ve listened to it… 

He disappeared too, without much of a notice. Johanna wasn’t sure if what she felt was anger, or disappointment, or some other emotion, but it was like someone ripped open an old wound. No tears this time, so she at least had that going for her. _“Maybe he’ll come back.”_ A little voice whispered, _“Maybe he’ll stay.”_

She’s… starting to learn how to suppress that part of her at this point.

Nine months passed, and she brought another child into her life. Little Perseus (with his father’s name, she couldn’t resist being a little witty) was the splitting image of Jupiter, tuffs of bright ginger and shining blues and all. The sight stung a little, but she welcomed him wholeheartedly nonetheless. At the sight of all three, she told herself to put those walls up for good this time. No more of that innocence, for them if not for herself. That… well, that had been the plan. 

The next part felt like a blur. One door in her house led to another different place and she stumbled upon him once again. Time had passed, enough for her heart to harden. She had mentioned in passing about Percy, trying not to notice the momentary guilty expression on his face, and had let him see him. (She should at least be cordial, shouldn’t she?) One look, and suddenly he’s talking. He needed to come with him, or there was something about him that was special, she didn’t remember. What she did recall, was something in her _snapping_.

Why? Why all this? She had demanded answers, and that guilt-stricken expression only fueled a fire in her. So much yelling had followed, yelling and arguments and tears. Why leave, then come back, only to leave again? Why this? What for? You were never there, so why start now? It felt like hours passed, until she finds she’s out of tears to cry. His expression was pained, reaching a hand over to her.

“Johanna-“ she swats his hand away, taking a deep breath.

“Don’t.” She’s done. “I’ll allow it. Whatever the hell you intend to do with Percy. But don’t think for a damn second I’ll be leaving my son’s life.” 

“...” Jupiter swallows, before retracting his hand and nodding,”Understood.” 

Johanna sighs, a tension she didn’t realize she had leaving her shoulders. She’s calmer now, as she makes her way to the door,”Well, shall we get back, Mr. North?” She doesn’t wait for an answer as she heads out of the room. 

—

Time mends all wounds, they say. Johanna finds that saying to be true, if not going at a slower pace than she’d like. With the passing years, any harsh feelings towards Jupiter have chipped away (or numbed? She wasn’t sure), at least they’re on better terms than before. 

It’s some time then, she realizes that History repeats yet again. Not just for one, but for _three_. It’s the little things, how she feels her heart flutter a little if she can get a rare laugh out of Ezra, or looking at Israfel interacting with the children and feeling herself a little brighter seeing the smile on his face. She even finds herself drawn once again to the man who dragged her to this mess. This beautiful, weird mess. It hit her one day, and she felt like… something. Amused or Exasperated? Frustration or Fondness? A mixture of both it’d seem. Though a tear or two ran down her face and she laughed, whispering to no one in particular.

_“...I’ll never learn, will I?”_


End file.
